PFM Specialist 2 views0 applications

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The IRC has been operating in South Sudan since 1989 and is registered as an international NGO. IRC currently delivers multi sectoral programming directly and through partners across seven states and two administrative areas. These include Northern Bahr el Ghazal, covering Aweil East, Aweil West, and Aweil South counties, Unity State, covering Rubkona, Koch, and Panyijiar counties, Upper Nile State, covering Maban, Renk, Panyikang, Nasir, Ulang, and Panylgang counties, Lakes State, covering Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East, and Yirol West counties, Central Equatoria, covering Juba, Yei, and Kajokeji counties, Eastern Equatoria, covering Kapoeta East, Jonglei, covering Ayod, Twic East, Uror, Akobo counties, as well as Abyei Administrative Area and Ruweng Administrative Area, including Pariang County and Ajoung Thok and Pamir refugee camps.

Background and Objectives of Education for All South Sudan (EFASS)

South Sudan has one of the world’s most fragile education systems, with approximately 2.8 to 3 million children, representing around 60 to 70 percent of the school-age population, out of school. Foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes remain critically low, with less than 10 percent of children achieving minimum reading competency. Years of conflict, accelerating climate shocks, and government education expenditure under 3 percent of the national budget have created an entrenched crisis. Girls and children with disabilities are disproportionately affected by these barriers, with harmful gender norms and stigma further limiting their access to education.

EFASS is a £27 million, four-year programme (April 2026 to March 2030), designed to deliver five interlinked outcomes. These include improving access, retention, and progression for the most marginalised out-of-school children, particularly girls and children with disabilities in conflict and climate-affected areas. The programme also targets improved foundational learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy, strengthened delivery of inclusive and climate-adaptive education approaches by teachers and facilitators, improved education data and evidence for decision-making through a national Learning Outcomes and Quality Assessment, as well as strengthened pathways for system uptake and sustainability beyond EFASS.

Scope of Work

The Public Financial Management (PFM) Specialist will be seconded full-time to the Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) and will serve as the embedded technical lead on all financial management, fiduciary governance, and public finance matters under EFASS. This is a senior technical position requiring deep expertise in public financial management systems within fragile and conflict-affected contexts, with a specific focus on the South Sudan education sector.

The PFM Specialist will provide sustained, hands-on capacity building and technical advisory support directly within MoGEI, working alongside ministry counterparts to strengthen budget planning, budget execution, financial reporting, and accountability mechanisms. A central aspect of the role involves supporting the operationalisation of the Education Transfers Monitoring Committees (ETMCs) at national, state, and county levels, and ensuring transparent, accountable management of education-linked cash transfers and capitation grants in coordination with the EFASS Programme Management Unit.

The role requires strong strategic engagement at the interface between programme delivery and government financial systems. The PFM Specialist will support MoGEI to strengthen its financial management of education expenditure, with the aim of progressively increasing the proportion of education financing managed through government systems. This includes facilitating MoGEI’s engagement with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), donors, and multilateral partners on education sector fiscal sustainability, building on precedents established under GESS.

The PFM Specialist will work closely with the EFASS Finance Lead, Team Lead, and the broader consortium to ensure fiduciary integrity across all programme activities, support Value for Money monitoring, and contribute to EFASS’s adaptive management framework. The position demands strong analytical and relationship-building skills, deep knowledge of South Sudan’s public finance environment, and the ability to translate complex financial and policy issues into actionable guidance for government counterparts and programme teams.

Key Responsibilities

1. Institutional Capacity Building and MoGEI Support

• Provide embedded, day-to-day technical advisory support to MoGEI on public financial management systems, processes, and controls, working directly within the ministry as a seconded specialist

• Strengthen MoGEI’s capacity in budget planning, budget formulation, and budget execution processes, including the development of annual education sector work plans and budget submissions

• Support MoGEI directorates and state education offices to improve financial management, accountability systems, and internal audit functions

• Coach and mentor MoGEI finance and planning staff on financial reporting, expenditure tracking, and compliance with public financial management standards

• Build capacity of State Ministries of General Education and Instruction (SMoGEIs) in financial planning, reporting, and oversight of education expenditure at subnational levels

• Develop, adapt, and support the use of financial management tools and templates appropriate to MoGEI’s operational context, including the School Budget Reporting Tool (SBRT) and related systems

2. Fiduciary Oversight and Education Transfer Management

• Support the design, operationalisation, and oversight of Education Transfer Management Committees (ETMCs) at national, state, and county levels, ensuring transparency, fiduciary control, and accountability throughout the education transfer delivery chain

• Provide technical support to MoGEI on the management and oversight of education-linked cash transfers and capitation grants, ensuring compliance with FCDO fiduciary standards and EFASS programme requirements

• Advise on and support the development of robust financial controls, anti-fraud mechanisms, and risk mitigation measures for the delivery of cash transfers and capitation grants under EFASS

• Coordinate with the EFASS Finance Lead and Cash Transfers Lead to ensure alignment between programme financial management systems and MoGEI’s accounting and reporting requirements

• Monitor financial accountability mechanisms across all programme expenditure channelled through or coordinated with government systems, flagging risks and recommending corrective actions

• Support compliance with FCDO financial management standards, rules, and regulations, contributing to accurate and timely financial reporting to the donor

3. Public Finance Reform and Government Ownership

• Lead EFASS engagement on public finance reform, building on the GESS precedent of facilitating direct payment of primary Capitation Grants from the central Ministry of Finance to school bank accounts, and advancing this model under EFASS where politically and operationally feasible

• Engage strategically with MoFEP and other government counterparts to support increased domestic budget allocation to education, working within the political economy of South Sudan’s fiscal environment

• Support MoGEI in mobilising and leveraging domestic resources alongside EFASS programme funding, including through the Budget Strengthening Initiative (BSI) and other relevant government finance reform platforms

• Facilitate dialogue between MoGEI, MoFEP, and multilateral partners (including the World Bank, GPE, and ECW) on education sector fiscal sustainability and transition to government-owned, donor-financed delivery models

• Contribute to EFASS’s Outcome 5 system strengthening workstream by developing decision-ready evidence on government financial management capacity and fiscal pathways for scale-up of EFASS models

4. Coordination, Reporting, and Adaptive Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between MoGEI and the EFASS Programme Management Unit on all financial management, fiduciary, and public finance matters

• Participate in MoGEI coordination structures, including the Education Sector Working Group, Local Education Group, and relevant technical working groups, representing EFASS on PFM and financial accountability issues

• Contribute to EFASS’s adaptive management framework by generating and sharing evidence on government financial management capacity, compliance, and risk, informing quarterly programme reviews and donor reporting

• Prepare technical inputs for FCDO reports on PFM activities, government financial management capacity, fiscal risks, and progress against EFASS financial management objectives

• Coordinate with EFASS’s independent evaluation team and Value for Money framework, providing data and analysis on the cost efficiency and accountability of government-channelled programme expenditure

• Engage with major donors and sector partners on PFM-related synergies, including with World Bank teacher salary and capitation grant initiatives, ECW MYRP financial management, and GPE system capacity support

5. Safeguarding, Compliance, and Value for Money

• Ensure all financial management activities and government-embedded advisory work are conducted in line with EFASS safeguarding protocols and IRC’s Standards for Professional Conduct

• Promote Value for Money principles in MoGEI’s financial management practices, supporting economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the use of education resources

• Contribute to fiduciary risk assessments and financial spot checks across EFASS-supported activities, coordinating with the EFASS Finance Lead and internal audit functions as required

• Ensure financial management approaches are inclusive and responsive to the needs of marginalised learners, including girls and children with disabilities, in line with EFASS’s gender transformative and disability inclusion commitments

Profile and Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree in Public Financial Management, Economics, Public Administration, Finance, International Development, or a closely related field

• Professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACCA, CPA, CIMA) is a strong advantage

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience in public financial management, government financial systems, or related roles in international development contexts

• At least 3 years of experience working in fragile and conflict-affected states, with demonstrated ability to navigate complex government and donor relationships

• Proven track record of providing embedded technical advisory and capacity building support within government ministries or public institutions, ideally in a secondment or liaison arrangement

• Direct experience supporting education sector financial management, capitation grants, or education transfers in sub-Saharan Africa or comparable fragile contexts is highly desirable

• Demonstrated experience of working at the interface between donor-funded programmes and government financial systems, including on fiduciary risk management and compliance

• Experience working in South Sudan or the East Africa region is a significant advantage; prior engagement with MoGEI, MoFEP, or South Sudan’s Budget Strengthening Initiative is particularly valued

• Experience with large-scale FCDO-funded programmes and familiarity with FCDO financial management standards and reporting requirements

Technical Skills

• Deep knowledge of public financial management systems, processes, and reform approaches in low-income or fragile state contexts

• Strong understanding of government budget cycles, expenditure tracking, financial reporting, and internal audit mechanisms

• Expertise in fiduciary risk management, financial controls, anti-fraud measures, and compliance systems for large-scale development programmes

• Familiarity with education sector financial management tools such as the School Budget Reporting Tool (SBRT) or equivalent school grants management systems

• Knowledge of cash transfer and capitation grant delivery modalities, including payment verification, accountability mechanisms, and post-payment monitoring

• Understanding of the political economy of education financing in South Sudan, including the domestic resource mobilisation landscape and donor financing architecture (World Bank, GPE, ECW)

• Strong financial analysis and budget management skills, with the ability to interpret and present complex financial data to non-specialist audiences

• Proficiency in financial management information systems and data tools relevant to the role

Competencies and Personal Attributes

• Exceptional ability to build trusted, productive relationships with senior government officials and ministry counterparts, with cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skill

• Strong commitment to government ownership, institutional sustainability, and the transfer of skills and capacity to national counterparts

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and proactively within a government environment while maintaining accountability to programme management structures

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in Arabic or a local South Sudanese language is an advantage

• Strong understanding of safeguarding principles, including child protection, and commitment to upholding IRC’s values of Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability

• Demonstrated gender sensitivity and commitment to disability inclusion in financial management and programme delivery approaches

This position will be contingent on the outcome of the bid.

Safety & Security Situation: All staff must comply with all IRC South Sudan security policies and procedures.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.